


Family

by DeckofDragons



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Family Fluff, Gen, Post Dream No More Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:08:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24194875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeckofDragons/pseuds/DeckofDragons
Summary: Ghost isn't ready to rest yet; they resist the call to return to the void sea.
Relationships: Grimmchild & The Hollow Knight | Pure Vessel, Grimmchild & The Knight (Hollow Knight), Hornet & The Knight (Hollow Knight), The Hollow Knight | Pure Vessel & The Knight
Comments: 6
Kudos: 164





	Family

With the Radiance defeated, Ghost could return to the void, become one with it once more. All their siblings were doing it, at peace finally. But… Ghost hadn’t seen everything they’d wanted to see yet. They’d traveled the lands outside of Hallownest extensively before being called back but even then they hadn’t seen everything there was to see. And… what about Grimmchild? They’d left him at the bench in Dirtmouth, trusting Elderbug, the mapmakers, and Sly to look after him if Ghost didn’t return. So he’d be fine but… Ghost wanted to return to him anyway _and_ see all their friends again.

The call of the void was strong but Ghost was nothing if not stubborn, it’s how they’d come so far and killed the Radiance. Compared to killing a god, resisting the void’s call, though still difficult, was not at all impossible. They had to fight to pull their mind free of it and its all-encompassing embrace. Physically though, it let them go without a fight as they dragged themself out of the sea and onto the shore of their sibling’s broken shells.

They were a shade. As long as they were without a shell, the call of the void was strong. They _could_ take one of the less damaged shells on the shore as a temporary measure but taking over the corpse of a sibling wasn’t something they wanted to do. So, they’d just have to persevere for a bit until…

A soft sound like bones shifting came from behind them. They snapped around to see another shade dragging themself out of the void sea. It was… the Hollow Knight. Why were they resist peace too? Hadn’t they suffered enough? Surely, they’d _more_ than earned their rest.

Regardless they were soon free of the sea and floating before Ghost, looking down at them. They stared at Ghost for a few seconds as if just as surprised to see them as Ghost was by their appearance. Ultimately they shrugged though and pointed up in the in the general direction of the exit. Ghost nodded and they started for it together because what else could they do, they were both resting the call of the void, they might as well stick together.

Climbing up was much like how it had been that time oh so long ago that Ghost could hardly believe they’d forgotten but also very different. This time they were escaping a call instead of going to it. They were making this decision for themselves with nothing waiting for them up top but their own wants, whatever those might be in Hollow’s case. Alas, Ghost could not ask nor could Hollow answer. So they continued on in silence.

At the top, they both paused to look down at the darkness below. They would both inevitably return to it one day but not yet and Ghost hoped not for a long time, they quite liked being their own entity. If Hollow felt the same, hopefully they’d live long too. They’re life now would certainly be better than it had been before, Ghost would make sure of it.

Exiting the abyss somewhat lessened the feeling of the void trying to pull them back. And the further they got, the less strong that pull was. Ghost lead the way of course, even without a map they knew the lay of Hallownest well enough to traverse it. But even with that knowledge, it still took a while before they finally reached the Black Egg Temple all the way up near the surface.

Inside, they found their shells laying off to one side with their nails stuck into the ground before them and flowers placed atop them. A nice gesture done by Hornet no doubt. All of Ghost’s stuff was gone though; map, charms, trinkets, geo, everything. Hornet must’ve taken it, thinking they had no more use for it. After reuniting with Grimmchild, they’d have to find her to thank her and get their stuff back.

Ghost went over and picked up their mask. Well, one half of it anyway. It had broken down the middle. That was… unfortunate though not unexpected, they’d broken out of it rather explosivity after all. But it wasn’t anything that couldn’t be fixed.

They picked up the other half with a tentacle and then their nail before turning to Hollow. Who… didn’t seem inclined to pick their own nail and mask up. It too was in two pieces and they just stared down at it as if bewildered by it. … They didn’t know about hot springs? Well of course they didn’t, they’d lived all their life in the White Palace before being imprisoned in the Black Egg to contain the Radiance. There undoubtedly _lots_ of things they didn’t know about.

So, Ghost floated over and picked up their stuff and hand to them. Then they started for the exit, gesturing for Hollow to follow, pausing at the exit of the temple long enough to make sure they were.

They’d kind of forgotten where the hot spring in the Forgotten Crossroads was so it took a bit for them to find it but they eventually did. Ghost put their mask in the water, placing the two halves firmly together and gesture for Hollow to do so too. They hesitated for a second or two before obeying.

The soul and healing properties in the water took effect almost right away. Within a matter of minutes both shells were whole again, leaving only a seam where their two halves had been mended back together.

Ghost eagerly slid into theirs. Immediately the call of the void was heavily dampened. It was still there but easily ignored and forgotten for now.

They looked back up to see that Hollow had returned to their vessel too. They were much taller than Ghost – they’d been so as a shade too but now it was even _more_ of a thing – which was no fair. Why had they grown while Ghost had stayed the same size? They wanted to be tall too. … If it was something the Pale King had done to them, it wasn’t worth it so Ghost was fine with not being tall.

Not taking any time to enjoy the hot spring, Hollow stood up and collected their nail. They paused after that though, turning their head to look at Ghost again. With an internal sigh, Ghost stood too. This wasn’t the time to relax anyway. After grabbing their nail, they started for the exit, trusting Hollow to follow.

If Hollow wanted to go off to do their own thing, they were free to do so. But as long as they seemed inclined to stick around, they were very welcome. Ghost would introduce them to their friends and hopefully take them on a fun adventure somewhere.

Up in Dirtmouth, not even five seconds passed after they’d exited the well before a loud chirp filled the air and suddenly Grimmchild was swooping in and ramming into Ghost, almost knocking them over in an almost sort of hug to the face. Apparently, more time had passed than Ghost had thought otherwise Grimmchild wouldn’t be so excited about their return.

They reached out a hand to pet his head and back, getting him to back off their face and just fly in front of them instead. He nuzzled into their hand, making happy chirping noises for a few seconds before going silent as he seemed to finally notice Hollow. He stared at them for a second or two before flying up to be on eye level with them to investigate.

They stood stone still, staring straight ahead as Grimmchild circled them. They were either indifferent or nervous. Either way they needed to learn to be nice to Grimmchild because Grimmchild was important so Ghost waved to get their attention and made a petting motion in the air. They hesitated but obeyed, lifting a hand towards Grimmchild. He let them pet his head hesitantly and a bit awkwardly with a couple fingers for a few seconds before making a happy chirp and returning to hover by Ghost, apparently approving of their sibling.

Good! The two of them were friends! _And_ Hollow had made their first friend, good news all around. Now it was time to…

“What the hell?”

Ghost turned around to see Hornet stepping out of the map store.

“You’re back?” She was understandable a bit surprised. “ _Why_?”

Ghost ran over, waving a greeting. What fortuitous timing, they’d just been about to go in search of her.

“I… guess you can’t answer me, huh?” she said as they reached her. “I don’t get it though, why wouldn’t you two return to the void?”

Because they hadn’t wanted to, what more was there to understand? Why they didn’t want to wasn’t really that important. What _was_ important though was where Ghost’s stuff was.

They mimed digging their hands into pockets and pulling nothing out, looking all around and shrugging before looking back up at Hornet for an answer.

“Oh uh… your stuff?” she said and they nodded. It was important, they’d like it back now. “I… may have given most of it away. I didn’t think you’d be coming back.”

Ghost had never wanted to frown more than they did now. But… they couldn’t exactly be mad; she’d had justifiable reason to believe they’d returned to the void.

“I did keep some of it though.” Probably only stuff she thought she could use. “You can have it back. But I still want to know how you two…”

Ghost lifted a hand, extending a finger to place over her moth, shushing her. Ignoring her offended gasp, he pointed to her and then the ground. This conversation had to wait, they had to get their stuff back first. They turned and pointed at Hollow and then gestured for them to follow, they needed to meet all the townspeople anyway. Hornet tried to protest but Ghost was nothing if not stubborn and ignored her.

Because they’d ended the Radiance and thus the Infection and everyone knew, Iselda happily gave them their stuff back. Sly took a bit more convincing but since he got to keep the mound of geo – Ghost had no use for it – he ultimately caved too. All the town folks except for Zote were happy to see them again and happy to meet Hollow who was hesitant about the whole thing at first but quickly seemed to grow more comfortable with it, even if it wasn’t by much.

Once all that was out of the way, they reconvened in the center of town where Hornet returned the rest of Ghost’s stuff. Which included their map, the exact thing they needed to propose their next adventure. They gestured for Grimmchild, Hornet, and Hollow, to look over their shoulder at the map.

They placed a finger on Dirtmouth, where they currently were and dragged it across the map towards Crystal Peak and then beyond, going all the way off the edge. They then looked back up and gestured towards the three of them again before repeating the motion on the map. They’d explored all of Hallownest with Grimmchild, now they wanted to go on another adventure outside of Hallownest, like they’d been doing before coming back here. And they wanted the three of them to come too. Grimmchild would probably be willing and judging by his excited chirp _was_ but what about the others?

Hollow nodded with only little hesitation. Good! That was two companions!

“Are you serious?” Hornet asked.

Ghost nodded. If she didn’t want to come, that was fine. They’d miss her though just like they’d miss everyone they’d befriended here. But asking everyone to come was unfeasible, this was their home or they for sure wouldn’t want to come. For the four of them though, with the Radiance and the Pale King gone and the void at peace, there was nothing left for them. Yeah, Ghost was technically king of this land now but it’d be better if someone unconnected to this land’s past ruled instead so it could fully move on. Also, they didn’t want the title of king, they’d only gotten it so they could access the abyss and find out what seemed so important about it, which turned out to be their memories.

“You want to just… leave Hallownest? After everything you went through to save it?”

Ghost nodded again. They then pointed back at the map and flipped it upside down to gesture with their finger, coming back to it from the edge. There were other kingdoms though, other pockets of civilization amongst the barrenness. They’d come across a lot of them while out there, each one unique and interesting in its own way. Even the barren lands in-between kingdoms had their own intrigue to them and adventures to be had.

“Well… I suppose there’s really nothing keeping us here anymore, huh? And breaking Hallownest’s stasis should be mean we won’t lose our memories so… there’s no reason we _can’t_ go. So, I suppose I can travel with you three for a while, it’s not like I have anything better to do.”

Ghost put away the map so they could clap, showing their approval. They were going to go on another adventure! This time with friends and family. What more could they possibly ask for? It was going to be great, they could already tell.


End file.
